sobremesa
/so.bɾeˈme.zɐ/
The Portuguese word for dessert is sobremesa.
sobremesa refers to a sweet confection served as the last course of a meal. It can also refer to the period of time spent sitting around the table talking after a meal has finished. Other words you might encounter include bolo for cake, gelado for ice cream, brigadeiro for a Brazilian chocolate truffle and arroz doce for rice pudding.
Meaning: sweet confection served as the last course of a meal (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Portugal, you might hear pudim meaning pudding or sobremesa gelada meaning frozen dessert.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of sobremesa is sobremesas.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable: /so.bɾeˈme.zɐ/.
When do people say it?
In Portuguese-speaking cultures, sobremesa describes more than just food. It refers to the social tradition of lingering at the table for conversation after the meal is finished.
Did you know?
- The word sobremesa literally translates to 'above the table' because it describes the social time spent sitting around the table after the meal is finished.
- The Portuguese word for ice cream, gelado, is used in Portugal, while Brazilians almost exclusively use the word sorvete.
- In some traditional Portuguese contexts, sobremesa may consist of fresh fruit or a slice of cheese rather than a sugary confection.
Examples in context
- Qual será a sobremesa?What will dessert be?This sentence is useful for asking what the dessert will be.Tatoeba #5363828 by ajdavidl, translation #3826343 by CK
- A sobremesa é sorvete.The dessert is ice cream.This sentence is useful for stating that the dessert is ice cream.Tatoeba #11130024 by carlosalberto, translation #11130018 by carlosalberto
- O pai não come sobremesa.Father doesn't eat dessert.This sentence is useful for stating that a father does not eat dessert.Tatoeba #897408 by alexmarcelo, translation #897407 by CN
- Eu gostaria de ver o cardápio das sobremesasI would like to see the dessert menu
- Que tal experimentar um doce após a refeição?How about trying a dessert after the meal?
- O que você acha de uma sobremesinha para adoçar o dia?What do you think about a little dessert to sweeten the day?
- 40 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Beatriz are finishing a meal at a restaurant.
- RodrigoBeatriz, você quer pedir uma sobremesa?Beatriz, do you want to order a dessert?
- BeatrizEu adoraria uma sobremesa agora.I would love a dessert right now.
- RodrigoO garçom trouxe a nossa sobremesa.The waiter brought our dessert.
- BeatrizEla parece maravilhosa, Rodrigo.It looks wonderful, Rodrigo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dessert” translations and entries sobremesa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sobremesa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
